Although Lexis student accommodation is all furnished, you will want to still want to give your new home in Kobe a personal touch.

Thankfully, within a few minutes’ walk of the school in Motomachi, there is absolutely everything you need….at a surprisingly low price!

First stop is the ever-reliable Daiso [ ダイソー ] . Daiso has reinvented the 100yen shop concept to supply remarkably high quality goods at a very low price – the old days of plastic junk seem far removed from the Daiso shopping experience.

You will find all the kitchen utensils, cups and plates, school supplies, make up and more that you need to get comfortable, all in one place and all at a very low price.

Daiso is also great if there are school events or parties you want to prepare for, as they have a huge range of ‘seasonal’ products…just what you need for Halloween, Christmas or the all important Cherry Blossom viewing.

Located in the same building as Daiso Motomachi is the Nitori [ニトリ] store. Nitori is unbeatable for the larger household items. Don’t like your pillow? Need a new fry pan, coffee maker, or desk lamp? Nitori has them all (and much more) at less than half the price you’ll pay at other shops.

If you think you’re going to be a big shopper, grab the loyalty card on your first visit – the points add up quickly.

If you need a new phone, broke your favourite earphones on the plane or want to grab a cheap camera to record your time in Kobe, you next stop should be Labi. The Sannomiya store is about 10 minutes from the Lexis school, just as you approach Sannomiya Station.

That’s just a small selection of the many hundreds of shops around Motomachi that you might find useful. If you have a personal favourite, please let Lexis school staff know!